College Year in Athens
Vitals
- GYA Accredited Since: Unaccredited by the GYA. Please see the Standards for more information.
- COVID-19 Plans: In-person only
- Enrolling:
- App Deadline:
- Next Available Departure? Sep, 2024
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Mission Statement:
CYA (College Year in Athens) is a non-profit educational institution that has been acting as a cultural and educational bridge between the U.S. and Greece for nearly 60 years. Our gap program will help participants to develop new perspectives on the world, their own countries and themselves. Its mission is to offer each participant an exclusive experience founded on an academic activity (i.e. archaeological excavation) but also strongly combined with the vibrant experience of day-to-day contact with the people, monuments, and landscapes of Greece—a rapidly changing country with a uniquely varied past.
CYA is dedicated to fostering an engagement with Greece that encourages personal discovery, growth, and cross-cultural sensitivity. Its ultimate goal is for participants to return home academically inspired, intellectually stimulated, and with a passionate commitment to the furtherance of international and intercultural understanding.
- Level of Independence/Supervision (mouse-over for definition):
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Attachments
Program Locations
Typical Itinerary
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | |
|
W e e k 1 |
Departure from the US - Flight to Greece | Arrivals in Athens| Meet and Assist at the Airport Check-in CYA apartments Night in Athens | Orientation Session| Lunch @ CYA Cafeteria | Survival Modern Greek | Night in Athens | Trip to the Island of Aegina| Night in Delphi | |||
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | |
|
W e e k 2 |
Free Day | Orientation / Acculturation Session| Lunch @ CYA Cafeteria | Survival Modern Greek | Night in Athens | Am Athens | PM Trip to the Island of Crete Night on boat | Visit the Palace of Knossos | Visit Spinaloga Islet Night in Heraklio | Archaeological Museum of Heraklia | Venetian Walking tour of Heraklio Night in Heraklio | Visit Arkadi Monastery | Visit the Forteza in Rethymno | Allies Cemetery in Souda | Night in Chania | Hike Lyssos Gorge in South Crete | Boat to Piraeus Night on Boat |
The above itinerary might be revised before or during the program at CYA’s discretion.
CYA is now offering two opportunities for Gap Year students for Fall 2021: those who are passionate about antiquity will benefit from the "Archaeological Field Work: Excavation, Workshops and Digital Technologies" whereas there is "Understanding Activism, Diversity, and Equity: the example of Greece" for students interested in learning more about those issues.
The “Archaeological Field Work: Excavation, Workshops and Digital Technologies” is a program that explores the relationship between ancient Greek and modern-day practices via hands-on, experiential learning. It makes evident the involvement of many disciplines in the understanding and interpretation of our past. Through active participation in an archaeological dig in the Athenian seaside suburb of Voula, you will be introduced to the astonishing world of archaeological fieldwork.
The next component of this experiential learning will cover lab-work as an opportunity to introduce you to methods of interpretation of the material culture brought to light during the excavation. This will include artifact processing and cataloging as well as artifact restoration and preservation.
The engagement with new technologies in archaeological research will provide a basic theoretical knowledge on the state of the art in digital archaeology, including GIS, remote-sensing technologies, tablet-based field recording, data management, and the usefulness of giving you real-world digital skills. The experience will prepare you for the challenges of a rapidly changing field and a rapidly changing world. The skills acquired can also be used in a number of other fields from computer science to fine arts.
The “Understanding Activism, Diversity, and Equity: the example of Greece” a new 10-week GAP Year program in Greece! To all those who are interested in exploring a new culture, while learning more about activism, diversity, and equity issues, this is your opportunity to experience hands-on learning while you volunteer for a good cause. The aim of this program is to facilitate a fuller understanding of positive social change and the ways that people make it happen, and a greater understanding of the social context of Greece. You will also learn how to keep an e-portfolio of your reflections, observations, interactive learning, theoretical knowledge, and involvement with your volunteer work, as a record of what you have learned and accomplished
through this program.
Trips to the island of Aegina, the island of Crete, Delphi and the Peloponnese will allow the broadening of perspective and expansion of worldview. Additionally, participants will learn how to create an e-portfolio, a key element in the documentation of work done by all students while studying, traveling, volunteering or interning, whether at home or abroad.
Gap Flight Award: A student who will be accepted in the program, will receive $1,000 to offset the cost of the round-trip ticket to/from Athens, Greece.
All health & safety protocols are observed. Refer to the CYA COVID-19 FAQ link: https://cyathens.org/136/1/cya-faq/
Fall 2021 Dates (10 weeks): September 16- November 23, 2021
Peer Reviews
Program Details
- Program Starts: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
- Program Duration: Less than 2 months, Semester, Yearlong
- Program Cost: $9950
- Program Financial Aid: No
Program Learning Outcomes
- Learn survival Modern Greek language.
- Understand proper archeological excavation methodology. and techniques while excavating at the site of Voula.
- Get acquainted with aspects of field documentation, material culture, artifact processing and cataloging.
- Engage with new technologies in archaeological research.
- Learn how to keep an archaeological field journal.
- Learn how to create an e-portfolio.
- Gain fuller understanding of Social Change and Activism via interactive learing methods
- Opportunity to volunteer for an organization actively involved with issues related to working with refugees, protecting the environment, supporting human rights, or other similar concerns
3-weeks participation in the excavation at Aixonidai Halai in the Athenian suburb of Voula under the instruction & supervision of CYA faculty and the Director of the Excavation.
1-week participation in laboratory work related to findings at Aixonidai Halai, guided by CYA faculty.
Day trip to the island of Aegina
6-day Field Study trip to the Peloponnese & Delphi
5-day Field Study trip to the island of Crete
Visits to sites, museums, and points of historical and cultural interest: the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum, Historical Walking Tour of Athens, etc. all guided by CYA faculty.
Visits to landmarks and points of interest such as the Greek Parliament, the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Center, guided by CYA faculty.
Entrance fees to all sites and museums visited in the course of the Program
Transportation during all trips as well as to/from the excavation site
Housing in CYA apartments in the residential neighborhood of Pangrati in Central Athens
Hotel accommodations while on overnight Field Trips
Lunch on weekdays in the CYA cafeteria while in Athens
Breakfast daily during overnight Field Trips
Orientation and acculturation activities such as Modern Greek language and culture classes by CYA faculty
Health insurance by CISI (including medical treatment for COVID-19)
Certificate following the excavation work
Certificate following the portfolio seminar
Pre-departure material
Arrival day airport meet-and-assist service
Use of Library materials
Free Internet access in the CYA computer lab as well as free Wi-Fi for laptop users throughout the Academic Center and in the student apartments.
Assistance in obtaining a Greek SIM card
Student support services
Staff Training and Certification
CYA staff are always available to offer an outstanding level of support and encouragement to each student, from first contact until a student returns home. Counselors and advisors are on hand to both help students with problems and organize engaging extra-curricular activities. All staff have an open-door policy and take pride in living up to the Greek tradition of hospitality.